DeMarcus Lawrence

After failing to record a sack as a rookie, Lawrence stepped up with a team-leading eight in 2015 and seems poised to provide the Cowboys with the impact pass rusher they've been lacking since DeMarcu...

Lawrence was a second-round pick last year after 10.5 sacks and 20.5 tackles for loss in his final season at Boise State, but a broken foot in summer sidelined him most of the year. He impressed when he returned, posting a sack in each of Dallas' two playoff games. An athletic player with the ability to bend the edge, Lawrence steps into a lead role on the Dallas defense this year. He's unproven, but he will be the Cowboys' best defensive end (perhaps even best lineman) while Greg Hardy is suspended the first 10 games.

2014

The Cowboys traded up to the top of the second round to grab Lawrence as their newest pass-rush threat off the edge, but without an established veteran sacker to take some pressure off Lawrence he could find it tough to make a big impact as a rookie. Lawrence has the physical tools to be a constant thorn in the sides of opposition QBs once he gets his feet wet, but a foot injury in camp badly slowed his development and will delay his pro debut until the second half of the season.